PEople
Community Responses to the #savethered survey
In spring, 2020, members of red river gorge united published a survey to collect opinions and views on the RRED development project and proposal, as well as general community views on the future of the Slade + Red River Gorge area in general.
the survey employed a mix of short-answer responses and open-ended questions to best illustrate respondants’ views and opinions. Over half of survey respondents were either kentucky residents (36.5%)or regular visitors of the red river gorge (35.7%), from a crowd of local land owners, recreationists, Business owners, and beyond.
Economic Development
A number of survey respondents had concerns regarding economic development, including job creation, upholding a small-town atmosphere, maintaining local control, protecting and creating local businesses, and the threat of regional overdevelopment. For more information on survey respondents’ concerns about economic development, click here.
Environment
To use the words of the respondents, some citizens took the approach that “The environmental impact on the RRG geological area must be the first concern.” They felt that “to change the face of the Red is to destroy the beauty and purity of it.” For more information on survey respondents’ environmental concerns, click here.
Regulation & Lack of Infrastructure
A number of respondents cited infrastructure concerns in relation to the RRED proposal, noting that limited parking and road maintenance is a preexisting difficulty that would worsen with the development of a large resort complex. For specific infrastructure concerns, click here.
Concern for Community
From the earliest days of RRED’s development plan, the community in and around Slade was excluded, with the opinions of local citizens and business owners going unheard by planning executives. For information and opinions by residents and respondents, click here.